High-frequency therapeutic apparatus



P 1952 H. s. RUBENS HIGH-FREQUENCY THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5,1949 INVENTOR.

8 m 0 a M V I wlrv \N N M ATTORNEY TNEW -W m a. 4 Av 274 200 to 300volts.

Patented Sept. 23, 1952 HIGH-FREQUENCY THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Harry S.Rubens, Manhasset, N. Y., assignor to National Electric InstrumentCompany, Inc., Elmhurst, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationJanuary 3, 1949, Serial No. 69,017

This invention relates to therapeutic apparatus and more particularly tohigh frequency therapeutic apparatus utilized for electro-coagula-'tion, fulguration and desiccation treatments.

' 'An object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the foregoingcharacter including -a handle for holding an electrode tip, such handlehaving incorporated therein a switch for controlling the operation ofthe apparatus.

Another. object of the invention is to provide therapeutic apparatusmade up of an oscillator, an electrode handle, and a cable connectingsaid handle to the oscillator in such fashion that control of theoperation of the apparatus is accomplished at the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide high frequency therapeuticapparatusin which control means is provided in the oscillator circuitfor controlling the output thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the foregoingcharacter in which switching means makes possible the use of monopolaror bipolar electrode tips without requiring separate socket means.

In carrying out the foregoing and other objects of the invention,apparatus particularly useful in providing coagulation, fulguration anddessication treatments comprises an oscillator which can be of thespark-gap type supplied with energy from a suitable source of 110 v.alternating curi rent and having regulated outputs whereby the devicecan be used both in connection with monopolar and bipolar electrodes.For this purpose "the output transformer of the oscillator is providedwithtwo secondaries, one of which supplies high frequency potential atapproximately 20,000 volts and the other of which supplies highfrequency potential in the neighborhood of from These two secondariesare so connectable through suitable switching means to two conductorsleading to electrode terminals or sockets that electrodes fitting in thesockets can be energized thereby. In order that control of theoscillator can be rendered more. convenient for the operator the handlein which the electrode sockets are mounted is provided with a switchcontrolling the supply of 110 volt potential to the oscillator.Consequently, it follows that all of the leads necessary for the use ofthe handle in this fashion can be combined in a single four-conductorcable extending from the cabinet of the instrument to the handle.

Other features, objects and advantages of the inventionwill becomeapparent by reference to the following detailed description of theaccompanying drawings, in which:

2 Claims. (01. 128393.13)

i I Fig. 1 is a plan view, partially in section, of an enlargedhandleembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on'line 2- 2 of Fig. l; 1

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantiallyon line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa side elevation of a .single-pole'electrode tip which can be carried bythe handle; and 1 Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of :'theapparatus involved. 1

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 3,inclusive, l0 indicates generally a handle to be utilized in theapplication of electrolysis treatments. This handle is made of suitableinsulating material, such as a molded or extruded synthetic resin or thelike, and'comprises upper and lower halves H and I2.'...'Ihe surface ofthis handle is provided with longitudinal grooves I4 which interrupt thesurface continuity, facilitating the gripping of the handle. As will beapparent from Figs. 2 and 3, the lower section I2 is hollowed outpartway of its length as indicated at I5; is provided with upstandingwalls [6, and with opposite channels II. The two walls It terminate in atransverse wall 8. The upper section II is likewise hollowed out as atI9; is provided with a depending integral wall 20; with channels 2|complementary to channels I1; and with a recess 22 having a throughopening 24 leading thereinto. The upper and lower channels I! and 2|converge to provide a channel 25 leading to upper and lower walls 26 inwhich sockets 21 are positioned. The upper and lower sections II and I2can be held in proper assembly by means of two tubular members 30 and 3|which are internally threaded to engage threads on the exterior of theends of the two sections H and I2. Thus when these sections are inproper registry, they can be locked together by engagement of the caps30 and 3|. In addition the cap 3!, which extends beyond the ends of thetwo sections, serves to assist in retaining an electrode tip such asshown at 35, which may have either one or two electrodes embeddedtherein with the shanks thereof extending into the sockets 21.

The rear member 30 also aids in retaining in assembly with the handle acable 40 having four insulated conductors 4t, 42, 44 and 45 therein. Thetwo conductors 4| and M serve to control the application of alternatingcurrent potential to the oscillator embodied in the invention in thefollowing manner. As will be noted in Fig. 2, conductor 4| is solderedorotherwise securedto an upper spring conducting bar 46 while lowerconductor 44 is likewise soldered or otherwise secured to a lowerconducting bar 41. These two bars are separated by an insulating block48 and have apertures therein for the passage of a pin 49 also ofinsulating material, which pin serves to maintain the parts in properregistry. A strip 50 of insulating material is mounted above the upperspring bar 46 and this strip likewise is apertured for the passage ofthe pin 49. The

strip 50, however, extends beyond the end of the spring bar 46 and hasin engagement therewith a button 52, the shank of which extends upwardlyand outwardly through the opening 24. The shoulder on the buttonpreventsescape of the button from the handle.

The two conductors 42 and 45 extend along the handle in the channelformed by the complementary channels I! and 21 around the end of thebarrier I8 and to the two sockets 21 to which these conductors can berespectively connected by soldering or' in any other suitable manner.Itwill be apparent, therefore, that the walls l6 provide a goodinsulating barrier between the pairs of conductors 4| and 44 and 42 and45, respectively.

The circuit diagram for the present invention will be found in Fig. 5,it being understood that all of the operating parts with the exceptionof the handle and the cable 40 are mounted in a suitable cabinet (notshown) of any desired type. The conductor 4| is electrically connectedto one side of a source of 110 volt potential while the other side ofsaid source is connected by conductor 55'to one end of the primary 56 ofa transformer 57, the other end of such primary being connectedelectrically to the conductor 44. An electric light bulb 58 is shuntedacross a part offthis primary 56 as shown to indicate energization ofthe primary. Secondary 59 of transformer 51' isconnected to a spark gaposcillator made up of spark gap (or gaps) 60, capacitance 6|, inductance52, and rheostat 64. The transformer 51'serves. to convert the 110volt'60-cycle alternating current to an output in the order of, forexample, 2000 volts. The capacitance 6| and the inductance 62 are ofsuch values that cooperation of thesame in conjunction with the sparkgap-68 generates oscillations in the nature of approximately 500,000cycles per second.

The inductance 62' serves as the primary of a transformer having twosecondaries 65 and 66. The relation between the secondary B and theprimary 62 is such that the output of this secondary B5 is in the natureof approximately 20,000 volts while the relation between the primary 62and the secondary-65 is such that the output of this secondary is in thenature of approximately 200 or 300 volts, the frequency of such outputsin each instance being approximately 500,000 cycles.

One end of the secondary 65 is connected through capacitance 10 to thesupply line 55, while the other end of this secondary is connected byconductor H to two terminals 12 and 14. One end of secondary 66 isconnected to a terminal 15 while the other end. thereof is connected toa terminal 16. These four terminals form parts of a double-poledouble-throw switch, the. blades of which are shown at 11 and 18. Theseblades can be moved from the full line positions of Fig. 5 to the dottedline positions thereof, it being understood that the blades are shown inthe illustrated fashion merely for the purpose of exemplifying variouscircuit connections and not for the purpose of illustrating precisemechanism. it will be seen that the conductor 42 extends into electricalcontact with the blade 11 while conductor 45 is electrically connectedto the blades 18.

With the blades in the full line position as shown in Fig. 5, it isapparent that the transformer secondary 66 is connected to the twoelectrode terminals 21 so that if a two-electrode tip, such as shown at35 in Fig. 1, is inserted into the handle, a circuit can be completed(through tissue) across the two electrodes at a potential ofapproximately 200 or 300 volts and at a frequency in the neighborhood of500,000 cycles. However, if the blades 11 and 18 are in the dotted'linepositions of Fig. 5, it follows that each of the conductors 42 and 45will be supplied with potential of the nature of 20,000 volts to groundfromone end of the secondary 85, the other end of which is effectivelygrounded through the capacitance l0 and one supply lead. Thus if asingle-electrode tip 80, as shown in Fig. 4, is introduced into thehandle with the electrode shank thereof in either of the. sockets 21, apotential to ground of the foregoing character can be supplied; However,should a twoeleotrode tip 35 be inserted into the handle while theblades are in this dotted line position, no particular harm willresultsince each socket is at substantially the same potential, and itfollows that the 20,000 volt potential will follow the path of leastresistance to one of the two electrodes.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 5 that the spark-gap oscillatorcan be energized to produce the resultant high potentials only when theswitch button 52 is depressed sufficiently to establish contact betweenstrips 46 and 41. Since this button and associated switch mechanism areincorporated in the handle, it follows that the operation of theoscillator is literally at the fingertip of the operator so that theoscillator can be energized only when the operator so wills and haspositioned an electrode or electrodes properly relative to the bodysurface under treatment. Thus extraneous controls, such as foot switchesand the like, are eliminated, with the result that the operator may movethe handle to any convenient position. limited only by the length of thecable connecting the handle to the cabinet housing the oscillator.

Rheostat 64 in the oscillator circuit can be adjusted to varysimultaneously the outputs of the two secondaries 65 and 66, therebyfacilitating operation of the equipment at the most suitable potentials.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention providesnovel high frequency therapeutic apparatus which possesses advantagesnot present in prior structure and which hasthe parts thereof socoordinated that operation thereof is greatly facilitated. It will beunderstood that modifications beyond the illustrated embodiments can bemade, in view of which any limitations imposed thereupon are to be onlythose set forth in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A handle for high frequency therapeutic electrodes comprising a pairof complementary elongated members hollowed out to provide separatedchannels for pairs of electric conductors, electrode sockets at one endof said handle, a switch in one of said channels, and substantiallytubular retaining members fitting over and engaging the ends of saidcomplementary members to lock the same together, one of said tubularretaining members assisting in retaining electrodes in said sockets.

5 2. A handle for high frequency therapeutic electrodes comprising agenerally tubular structure made up of a pair of complementary membersinternally hollowed to provide channels for high frequency conductorsand a channel for low' frequency conductors, electrode sockets at theends of said first channels, a switch in said second channel, a switchactuator extending through the wall of one of said members, andsubstantially tubular retaining members fitting over and engaging theancient said complementary mem bers to lock the same together, one ofsaid tubular retaining members assisting in retaining electrodes in saidsockets.

HARRY S. RUBENS.

I V REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,059,435 Campbell Apr. 22, 19131,780,600 Pullwitt Nov. 4, 1930 1,813,902 Bov e July 14, 1931 1,814,791Encle July 14, 1931 1,943,543 -McFadden Jan. 16, 1934 2,200,322 nrnesenMay 14, 1940 2,310,844 Draeger Feb. 9, 1943

